Economic Development

City Planning

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Vehicle Impound

There are a number of reasons that a vehicle may be impounded. If your vehicle is impounded, there are a few things to know to about why your vehicle was impounded, how to get it back and what it will cost you.

Cash, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover are acceptable forms of payment. Personal checks or money orders will not be accepted.

Recovering a Stolen Vehicle:If you are notified by phone, you are allowed 48 hours to claim your vehicle without being assessed fees. If claimed after 48 hours, all fees will be assessed.

If notified by letter, you will be allowed 5 days from the date the letter was mailed to claim the vehicle without being assessed fees. The original notification letter will be required. If claimed after 5 days, all fees will be assessed.

Booted Vehicles: You must provide a receipt that you have paid all parking fees associated with the booted vehicle before the vehicle can be claimed. You must pay the parking fees at Parking Management at the Wellington Webb Building located at 201 W. Colfax, Denver, CO. These fees are in addition to the normal impound and storage fees.

With proof of ownership (valid ID & valid registration or title), access will be granted to vehicles for personal property removal. Access will not be granted for vehicles with Police Holds. The vehicle owner or his/her legally authorized agent may have one opportunity to retrieve personal property. Only one person will be allowed in the yard to recover property. Items attached to the vehicle such as radios, speakers, wheels, etc. may not be removed.

The vehicle owner may authorize another party to pick up the vehicle with the following documentation:
A Notarized Letter of Authorization from the Registered or Titled owner/lien holder instructing his/her designee to act as the Owner’s legal Agent, which must include:

Owners name matching the name on title and/or current Registration

Description of Owner’s vehicle to include year, make, model, VIN and / or license plate number.

Name of person designated to act as anowner’s agent. Agent’s name must match the identification presented to the Vehicle Impound Facility.

In order to drive the vehicle off of the lot, agents must have a valid driver’s license, current registration, and proper insurance. If only the title is presented, the vehicle must be commercially towed.

The Denver Sheriff Department operates a property bureau located at 5150 York Street, adjacent to the Vehicle Impound Facility. Excess inmate property or property from inmates that have been released to the Department of Corrections will be transferred to the property bureau from the Denver County Jail or the Downtown Detention Center.

Retrieval of property from the property bureau will require a government issued ID (driver license, state ID card, passport, etc). Written authorization may be given by the inmate for an individual to retrieve their property.

Denver International Airport Parking can be contacted at 303-342-4650. A receipt must be provided indicating parking fees associated with the vehicle have been paid when claiming the vehicle. Parking fees must be paid at DIA. These fees are in addition to the Vehicle Impound Facility storage fees.

Vehicles impounded for special event parking violations near the Sports Authority Field at Mile High will initially be towed to Waste Water Management located at 2000 West 3rd Avenue. The vehicle must be claimed within two hours after the end of the event. A valid driver’s license and $120.00 will be required to recover the vehicle at the temporary impound location.

If the vehicle is not recovered within two hours after the end of the event, the vehicle will be towed to the Vehicle Impound Facility located at 5160 York St. The vehicle can only be claimed during normal business hours for $240.00 plus storage. Proof of ownership, valid photo identification and proof of insurance will be required.

Owners will receive a notice of right to hearing along with the notice of impoundment. A notice of right to hearing will also be supplied upon retrieval of a vehicle. Vehicle Impoundment Hearings are held at the Vehicle Impoundment Hearing Office located at the Parking Magistrate’s Office, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In order to obtain a hearing, you must take one of the following actions within 10 calendar days of the mailing date on your notice of impoundment or hand delivery of the notice of right to hearing, whichever is first:

You may appear in person during business hours to set a hearing; or

You may telephone the Parking Magistrate’s Office at 720-913-5300 during the hours indicated to set a hearing.

If there is a police hold on a vehicle, all inquiries should be directed to the proper police bureau. There will be NO ACCESS to vehicles with a police hold for property or inspection without being accompanied by the investigating detective.

Useful Resources

Report an abandoned vehicle

If you would like to report a vehicle as abandoned, please call (720) 865-0471 and leave the following information:

Address where the vehicle is located

Description of vehicle including make, model, year and color of the vehicle

License plate number of the vehicle

A deputy will respond to the location of the reported abandoned vehicle and post it with an “Abandoned Vehicle Warning”. After 72 hours, if the vehicle has not been moved at least 100ft., the vehicle will be impounded as abandoned.